Happy New Year

So it's New Years eve. I'm not out eating a fancy dinner, or at a bar, or even at Boston's First Night (my original plan up until this morning). I've found that as usual, I just simply want to say home.

There is something about New Years that brings peace to me. Perhaps it's the same feeling that some people get on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But as we wind up one year, and look forward to the next, I find it to be a much deeper experience than writing a bunch of silly resolutions on a piece of paper (how many times have you written 'loose weight' or 'get in shape'? you people will hog the gym machines until March, until you forget about your resolutions).

It's time to look back over the past year and wonder what I wish I had done differently - and once those things are identified, I give myself permission for screwing up, and figure out how I could have handled the situation differently. I also think ahead to the coming year, and find a few important things to focus on - events I need to prepare for, changes I'd like to make (which sounds like resolutions, but aren't really - its not a "do it or else" kind of mentality), ways I'd like to grow. I think I do this same sort of analysis on my birthday, which conveniently makes it a bi-annual event.

New years is about light, and about peace - not world peace, as wonderful as that would be (on the other hand, what would drive our economy then? It would collapse, and the world peace would evaporate anyway) - but internal peace. My peace. Calmness. The absence of anxiety or worry. What has happened in the past year is past. What the future holds - who knows? It hasn't been made yet. But at this moment, this evening, I am at home. I have heat, plenty of food, and plenty of light. My family and friends are all safe and healthy. My husband and I are happy. We have warm clothes, a place to live. We all have more than we need.

New Years is also about rounding out the holiday season. In a way, it's the second coming of Christmas. One last holiday party. The final Hurrah until next year. The holiday lights are ablaze. Wishes of Happy New Year being tossed about. Final holiday gifts exchanged among friends. I can understand why people go out to party, but I have almost everything I need right here - and really, it's enough for me.

So Happy New Year. Hope you all have a happy, healthy & peaceful 2008.